I woke up in a delivery room, intense contractions making me see stars. Somehow, I had become the protagonist of a tragic romance novel, currently giving birth while my cheating husband plotted against me. I knew I was destined to die from complications if I didn’t act fast. Gritting my teeth through the pain, I tried to climb off the bed to save myself. But Quinn coldly shut the door, trapping me inside. “Zoe, stop being dramatic,” he said dismissively. Just as despair started to set in, the door burst open with a bang. A beautiful older woman stormed in and slapped Quinn hard across the face. “You bastard! How dare you mistreat the heroine while I’m around!” she yelled. Looking at her familiar features, so similar to my best friend’s, I realized I might have an unexpected ally in this story world. 0I had somehow woken up in the middle of giving birth, wracked by agonizing contractions. Unfamiliar voices drifted to my ears: “Mr. Quinn, are you sure you don’t want us to perform a C-section? Your wife has a high fever and the amniotic fluid is cloudy. If we wait much longer, we risk losing both mother and child!” Quinn’s icy reply sent chills down my spine: “Wait a bit longer. Once she’s delirious from the pain, have her sign the divorce papers before you operate. And as for the baby…get rid of it. Remove her uterus while you’re at it, to prevent any future complications.” As I listened in horror, I realized I had somehow been transported into the plot of a novel. The man trying to kill me was the cheating husband from the story. My character, Zoe, had married into the wealthy Quinn family five years ago to repay a debt between their families. Though initially happy, everything changed when Quinn’s older brother died in a plane crash. Quinn took in his sister-in-law Megan and nephew Felix, claiming it was to care for them. In reality, he had been having an affair with Megan all along, showering her with money and affection while neglecting Zoe. Once Zoe became pregnant, Megan felt threatened. She began sabotaging Zoe at every turn, even convincing Quinn to divorce Zoe and get rid of the baby. But Zoe loved Quinn desperately and refused to let go, believing he would come back to her. In the original story, she died in childbirth after Quinn and Megan delayed her treatment. Determined to avoid that fate, I summoned every ounce of strength to crawl off the bed towards the door. “Help! Someone help me! They’re trying to kill me!” I screamed hoarsely. But Quinn coldly shut the door, blocking my escape. “Zoe, stop making a scene,” he said coldly. I clutched desperately at his clothes, trying to stop him from closing the door. I felt liquid gushing between my legs as my strength faded. Just as I was about to give up hope, the door flew open with a bang. A well-dressed older woman rushed in and slapped Quinn hard across the face. “You bastard! How dare you mistreat the heroine while I’m around!” I looked at her in shock, noticing how similar she looked to my best friend Summer from the real world. Could it be…? “Summer?” I asked hesitantly. Her eyes lit up with recognition. “Rachel? Is that you?” I let out a huge sigh of relief. My best friend had somehow been transported into this world too – as my mother-in-law no less! With her here, I finally had a chance at survival. 01 Quinn held his reddening cheek, looking bewildered. “Mom? What are you doing here? Why are you hitting me over her?” I suddenly realized my friend had been transported here as well, incarnating as my mother-in-law! This was the best news I could have hoped for. I grabbed Summer’s hand tightly, my voice shaking. “Summer, it hurts so much. Please help me!” Summer snapped into action, shoving the stunned Quinn out of the way. “Get out of here, you’re in the way!” she yelled at him before turning to the doctor. “Give her an epidural immediately and prep for surgery!” “And get your best surgeons in here for my friend. If anything happens to her, your whole hospital will pay!” she threatened. “Offending my best friend means offending the entire Quinn Corporation!” The medical staff scrambled to follow her orders, quickly administering pain medication. As the agony started to fade, I drifted into a dreamlike state. Memories from the original Zoe’s life flashed through my mind, filling in the backstory. I saw how Quinn had slowly turned cold towards her, believing Megan’s lies about Zoe mistreating Felix. Despite Zoe’s desperate pleas and attempts to prove her innocence, Quinn chose to trust Megan time and time again. In my dream, I watched the tragic end of the original story play out – Zoe dying alone and in agony on the operating table while Quinn and Megan delayed her treatment. Just before the dream faded, I saw Zoe’s spirit cradling a baby, whispering in my ear: “Please, you must make Quinn regret his actions. In return, you’ll inherit all my wealth in this world and be able to return to your own. I’m counting on you.” I clenched my fists, silently vowing not just to make Quinn regret his choices, but to make him pay dearly for his cruelty. When I opened my eyes again, Summer was by my side. The cry of a newborn filled the air. Though I knew intellectually it wasn’t truly my child, I felt an inexplicable surge of protectiveness and love. Perhaps some of the original Zoe’s emotions were bleeding through. Summer gently wiped my brow, murmuring soothingly. “You did great, sweetheart. Don’t worry, I’m in charge now. I’ve taken control of 60% of Quinn Corp’s shares. This baby is as good as my own grandchild. I’ll make sure that bastard Quinn never hurts either of you again, even if I have to ruin him to do it.” I nodded gratefully through my tears, overwhelmed by everything that had happened. “God, I can’t believe this. All I did was leave one snarky comment on a trashy novel, and now I’ve been transported inside the story as the tragic heroine! If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what I would have done.” “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back,” Summer reassured me, patting my shoulder. “We’ll get through this together.” In the original novel, the heroine was supposed to die today along with her baby. The infant’s organs would then be harvested for Megan’s son Felix. Now that I had survived, who knew what Quinn and Megan might try next? I remembered how in the book, after marrying Megan, Quinn was mauled by vicious dogs she set on him for merely glancing at his secretary. As I fretted over how to avoid their schemes and make Quinn regret his actions, the man himself walked in with Megan in tow. He looked down his nose at me imperiously. “Zoe, how could you be so inconsiderate? Running around during labor and worrying everyone like that? And childbirth isn’t such a big deal – why on earth did you call my mother back? So immature.” He turned to look at the baby, his expression cold. “Since you’re clearly too irresponsible to care for a child properly, I’ll be taking the baby home with me. No need to trouble Mother with it.” I nearly laughed at the sheer audacity of his words. How could he say such blatantly awful things with a straight face? But my main concern was keeping the baby safe – in the book, this child was literally torn apart for organs. I clutched the infant protectively, my face pale with fear and anger. I locked eyes with Summer, silently communicating. “Fine, I’ll sign the divorce papers,” I told Quinn. “But this child will take my surname and have nothing to do with you. We’re going our separate ways from here on out.” Summer immediately caught on to my plan. I had always joked about finding a handsome sperm donor to have kids someday – this situation was oddly perfect. Meanwhile, Megan’s eyes glittered with poorly concealed excitement, though she put on a show of concern. “Oh Zoe, what are you saying? Blood is thicker than water – how could Quinn possibly have nothing to do with his own child?” “Actually, if you hadn’t pushed Felix into the pool that time, Quinn wouldn’t have gotten so angry and wanted a divorce in the first place,” she added slyly. “Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider the divorce?” Before I could respond, Quinn’s cold voice cut in: “There’s nothing to reconsider. We’re signing those divorce papers right now.” 0
“Mom, please don’t try to stop me. I’ve made up my mind to marry Megan. She and Felix need me!” Summer’s hand lashed out, slapping Quinn again. “How dare you make a scene in front of a woman who just gave birth! If you want a divorce so badly, fine – but you’ll leave with nothing but the clothes on your back.” Quinn held his reddening cheek, looking betrayed. “Mom, do you really love her so much that you’d choose her over your own son?” Without hesitation, Summer replied, “Yes, that’s exactly right.” Quinn glared at me venomously. “I see how it is, Zoe. You called my mother back just to force me to stay married to you? How devious.” He threw a stack of divorce papers onto the bed. “Sign them. I don’t care if I lose everything, I’m divorcing you today no matter what.” I had to suppress a surge of excitement. “Are you sure? No taking it back now!” According to the book, the Quinn family’s assets were worth billions. And since our families had been close, Quinn hadn’t signed a prenup. Most of his current wealth counted as marital property – if he really left with nothing, I’d be entitled to a divorce settlement worth hundreds of millions at least. Though Summer controlled the company now, Quinn’s personal assets were still substantial. This would definitely hit him where it hurt. I couldn’t help but smile slightly. Money, a baby, and no cheating husband – wasn’t that many women’s dream? Seeing my calm demeanor seemed to infuriate Quinn further. “What are you plotting now, Zoe? You used to beg me not to leave you, insisting on having this baby. Weren’t you just after the Quinn family fortune, hoping your son would be the heir? Now you’re acting all nonchalant – is this some reverse psychology tactic? It won’t work!” He pulled out another document, waving it in my face. “Whether you sign the divorce papers or not, I’ve already changed my will. I only recognize Megan’s child as my heir. Your son means nothing to me!” “Give up your little schemes. Clinging to the Quinn family won’t do you any good. Just sign the papers and get out of our lives!” I was about to happily agree when a sharp pain lanced through my chest. The original Zoe must be heartbroken right now. After all, she had just given birth to this man’s child, only for him to immediately demand a divorce and disown the baby. If I were truly her, I’d probably be in tears. But the woman who inhabited this body now wasn’t Zoe – it was Rachel Lin, a complete stranger to Quinn. I nodded, wiping away a single tear that had unconsciously fallen. “Alright, we’ll do things your way. I’ll sign the papers. The baby will take my surname and have nothing to do with you.” Quinn nodded in satisfaction. “Good, you’re finally being sensible.” Megan clung to Quinn’s arm, putting on a show of compassion. “I tried to talk Quinn out of making you leave right away. A woman is most vulnerable right after childbirth, you know? He wanted you out of the Quinn mansion today, but I convinced him to let you stay until you’ve recovered. Aren’t I considerate?” My friend Summer – now the Quinn Corporation’s major shareholder – rolled her eyes dramatically at this display. “Oh please, spare us the act. Like I can’t afford to take care of my bestie?” she scoffed. She pulled out her phone, barking orders to her assistant. “Book the best postpartum care center in the city. What, only $5 million a month? Too cheap, upgrade to the $10 million package. And book it for 6 months to start.” Megan’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Mom! What are you saying? When I had Felix, you didn’t book me anything nearly that nice. You have to be fair!” Summer laughed coldly. “You think you can compare yourself to my best friend? Get out of here with your fake nice act. Can’t survive without latching onto a man, huh? The minute big brother was gone you started seducing his little brother. Disgusting.” She turned to Quinn and Megan, her voice hard. “From now on, neither of you are allowed to bother Zoe at the hospital. If you try, you’ll regret it.” “As for you,” she said to Quinn, “I couldn’t care less what you do after the divorce. Go to the moon for all I care. Just stay away from us – you’re nothing but an eyesore now.” “And since you’ve chosen to leave with nothing, you three can pack up and get out of the Quinn mansion. I don’t need an ungrateful son like you around.” Quinn’s face turned ashen. He lunged towards Summer, sputtering in rage. “Mom, how can you kick me and Megan out? And Felix is your grandson! How could you-” “Zoe? What lies have you been telling my mother?” he demanded, rounding on me. I just rolled my eyes, not bothering to engage. At that moment, two huge, muscular men flanking Summer cracked their knuckles menacingly. “Mrs. Quinn said to leave. Now,” one of them growled. I tossed the signed divorce papers back at Quinn, flashing a victorious smile. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!” 0
At last, peace and quiet descended. Summer bustled around, quickly arranging my baby’s birth certificate and household registration. As the mother, I was able to handle all the paperwork myself. The name and other details were entirely up to me. Even the ID bracelet on the baby’s wrist simply read “Son of Zoe Chen.” I thought of the poor woman whose body I now inhabited – the original Zoe who had suffered so much. In her memory, I named the baby Chen An, meaning “peace.” I knew that was likely her greatest wish for her child. Summer handed me the freshly printed documents. “There you go – just like you always wanted. A baby with no pesky husband attached! Even if we never make it back to our world, I promise I’ll make sure that scumbag never treats you like his punching bag again.” Seeing I had gone quiet, she worried I might be upset. She produced another file with a flourish. “Check this out – I’ve officially stripped Quinn and Megan of all inheritance rights. The entire Quinn empire belongs to you and the baby now. And that divorce settlement you squeezed out of that jerk? Just consider it pocket money.” “Even if we’re stuck here forever, the three of us will live like queens,” she declared confidently. Hearing her words, I finally broke down sobbing. Back in our world, I was an orphan with a congenital heart condition. My parents had abandoned me as a baby. Summer was the only one who befriended me in school, never treating me differently. Now here we were in this strange book world, and once again it was Summer coming to my rescue. Through my tears, I told her about the dream I’d had – how the original Zoe’s spirit had spoken to me. I sniffled, wiping my nose. “It’s all my fault, Summer. I left some nasty comment on this stupid novel and shared it with you. That’s how we both ended up transported into the story.” “It wasn’t until I took over Zoe’s body that I realized how much she suffered. Quinn is even more of a monster than I imagined.” “But Zoe’s ghost told me that if I can make Quinn truly regret his actions, we’ll inherit all her wealth in this world. And we might even be able to go back home.” Summer’s eyes lit up at this news. “Really? That’s amazing! I’ve been throwing money around like crazy, but it still doesn’t feel real. Like I’m spending someone else’s cash, you know?” “And I really miss my parents,” she admitted, her own eyes growing misty. I squeezed her hand tightly. “Don’t worry, I’ve read this whole book. After Zoe dies in the original story, Quinn finally realizes how good she was to him. He starts obsessively seeking out women who look like her to be his mistresses. It ruins his relationship with Megan too.” “Eventually he and Megan end up fighting over the inheritance. Oh, and get this – the real reason Quinn got together with Megan is because they had an affair while his brother was still alive. Quinn always thought Felix was his son.” My mind raced as I formulated a plan. “So I think the fastest way to trigger the plot is for me to fake my death with the baby. Then you can reveal the paternity test results to Quinn and watch him implode.” “Once Quinn truly regrets losing ‘the woman who loved him most in the world,’ we should be able to go home. God, I miss your mom’s lotus root and pork rib soup so much.” Summer’s eyes sparkled with excitement at my scheme. Just then, her phone pinged with a new message. It was a wedding invitation from Quinn. The ink on our divorce papers was barely dry, but he and Megan were already rushing to the altar. A sharp pain lanced through my chest again. The original Zoe’s lingering emotions, no doubt. Quinn had refused to hold a wedding when he married Zoe, claiming he disliked flashy events. In reality, he had been sulking because the woman he truly loved – Megan – had just married his older brother. As a result, though Quinn and Zoe were married for five years, the outside world never knew of Zoe’s existence as the Quinn family’s daughter-in-law. I stared at the photo of Quinn beaming as he embraced a white-gowned Megan, my mind made up. After a long moment, I looked up at Summer with steely determination. “Their wedding is in a week. That’s when I’ll stage my ‘suicide’ by jumping into the sea with the baby.” “Can you get my travel documents in order? We’ll flee the country after I fake my death.” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to record all of that scumbag’s reactions for you,” Summer promised with a wicked grin. She nodded solemnly. Over the next few days, she worked tirelessly to prepare for my staged demise.
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